Fantasy Football News

In case the Detroit Lions' trading of David Montgomery to the Texans was not enough of a signal that fourth-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs was going to be the team's bell-cow back for the 2026 season, head coach Dan Campbell said the words clear as day in one of his first media sessions of organized team activities, telling reporters, "He's going to be our bell-cow now," and then later, "We're going to hang our hat on him quite a bit. We're going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well." Running backs coach Tashard Choice, who has known Gibbs since he was a high school recruit, has since expressed belief that the 2023 first-round pick is in the best shape of his life, and having already finished as the RB4 and the RB2 in his past two seasons (while Montgomery was still averaging more than 200 touches of his own), expectations are through the roof for 2026. The Lions signed former Chief Isiah Pacheco to a one-year deal in free agency, but after averaging more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage over his first two years in the league, the 2022 seventh-round pick has struggled through injuries and has been held to only 952 yards and three touchdowns across the past two seasons. While he will undoubtedly play a role in keeping Gibbs fresh, all the rhetoric out of Detroit suggests that the backfield is ready to be fully handed over to one of the most explosive playmakers in the league. As such, Gibbs has earned the top overall spot in RotoBaller's 2026 single-quarterback fantasy rankings.

Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott was a popular sleeper pick after being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but through two years in the league, he's caught only 16 passes for 142 yards. While the final four games of his second season saw the most sustained involvement of his young career, following the season-ending ACL injury to veteran Zach Ertz, that usage uptick still amounted to only 1.8 catches, 18.3 yards, and 2.7 fantasy points per game. With an opening at the top of the depth chart heading into the 2026 league year, calls for a Sinnott breakout briefly resurfaced but were quickly silenced when the team signed former Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo to a three-year, $27 million deal in the opening hours of free agency. Already an early adopter of the league's growing trend toward multi-tight end usage, the Commanders could lean even further in that direction with first time offensive coordinator David Blough expected to borrow elements from the Ben Johnson offense he ran as a backup quarterback in Detroit, but veteran John Bates remains with the team and could continue to see the field ahead of Sinnott due to what he provides as a blocker. Still only 24 years old, the athletic tight end out of Kansas State wouldn't be the first of his position to see slow development before a third-year breakout, but Sinnott has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty TE54 ahead of what is likely a make-or-break 2026 season.

When the Kansas City Chiefs sent a sixth-round pick to acquire veteran quarterback Justin Fields from the New York Jets, it opened a brief sell window for dynasty managers who have held the disappointing former first-round pick through his latest stints with the Jets and Steelers. Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in Week 15 of the 2025 season, and at the time of the trade, his availability to begin the year was in doubt, putting Fields in line to make a Week 1 start for his fourth team in as many seasons. Since then, optimism about Mahomes' recovery has led many to believe that the two-time MVP will be ready to start the year, and he and the Chiefs recently agreed to a reworked contract that added two years to his existing deal, making him the NFL's first half-billion-dollar man. While the chance of reinjury and Fields' own fantasy-friendly play style still keep the former Bear, Steeler, and Jet among the most valuable backup quarterbacks in superflex dynasty leagues, his overall value continues to dwindle year after year, and Fields is now RotoBaller's QB41.

While much of the Philadelphia Eagles offense struggled through inconsistency in the 2025 season, tight end Dallas Goedert scored a career-high 11 receiving touchdowns en route to a TE4 finish, more than doubling his previous high from 2019. While he still figures to be a major part of the team's new-look unit, touchdown regression is almost certain to lower his ceiling, and a reworked depth chart has the potential to chip away at what's been a relatively safe fantasy floor for most of his career. While the most notable change to the Eagles' offense is the loss of three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown, the team added Hollywood Brown through free agency, traded for Dontayvion Wicks, and spent first and second-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on Makai Lemon and tight end Eli Stowers. How the distribution of targets now shakes out behind incumbent DeVonta Smith is somewhat up in the air under first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Mannion is the Eagles' fifth coordinator in as many seasons, but under head coach Nick Sirianni, the team has ranked no higher than 26th by passing percentage. With a potentially lower target share in another low-volume offense, Goedert may not see weekly fantasy viability in 2026, and as such, he is RotoBaller's TE16.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has yet to play a full 17-game season, and for most of his four-year career, he's been part of a muddled depth chart. As a result, he has never topped 41 catches or 620 receiving yards in a season, but 2026 is set up for a true breakout. Watson is now approximately 18 months removed from the ACL injury that kept him sidelined for the first seven weeks of the 2025 season, and after the Packers moved on from two of their more heavily involved receivers from a year ago, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, the team committed to Watson in the form of a four-year, $92 million extension. Throughout his career, in games where Watson has seen at least a 75% route share, he has averaged 14.1 half-PPR fantasy points per game, which would have ranked as WR7 in 2025 and no lower than WR12 over the past four seasons. Set to see a full-time role in 2026, the 27-year-old Watson is one of the most high-upside buy candidates as RotoBalller's dynasty WR37, and it should surprise nobody if he flirts with WR1 status over the coming seasons.

Across 15 games in 2025, New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson recorded 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. Despite the solid production, Johnson's dynasty value has plummeted over the offseason following the Giants' free agent acquisition of former Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. New York's financial commitment to Likely and Likely's familiarity with new Giants head coach John Harbaugh both indicate that Johnson is most likely the team's TE2 entering 2026. Still, Johnson remains an intriguing young player with some production upside and established chemistry with Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. New York also has significant questions in its wide receiver room outside of Malik Nabers (knee), which could lead the team to utilize multiple-tight-end personnel regularly. In dynasty formats, managers should be willing to take a flier on Johnson as a buy-low depth piece.

A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai recorded 947 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Monangai split backfield work with Bears veteran D'Andre Swift in 2025, and both backs remain on Chicago's roster entering 2026. While Swift's presence could continue to limit Monangai's workload ceiling, Monangai profiles as the more physical downhill rusher of the two and may take on a larger early-down and goal-line role in his second NFL season. Even if the Bears continue to operate with a backfield split in the short term, 2026 is Swift's final season under contract with Chicago. If the competition between the two backs is close, it would not be surprising to see the Bears' coaching staff push more onto the plate of Monangai. Given Monangai's status as an up-and-coming back in a strong Chicago running game, he may be undervalued by redraft ADP as the RB33.

After recording 101 catches for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns across 13 games in his final collegiate season at UConn, wide receiver Skyler Bell was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Entering his rookie season, Bell will be part of a crowded wide receiver room in Buffalo and is not guaranteed to emerge as a regular contributor. However, outside of veteran DJ Moore and steady slot wideout Khalil Shakir, the Bills do not have any wideouts who are definitively ahead of Bell on the depth chart. With a strong showing in training camp and the preseason, Bell could establish himself as a favorite target of star Bills quarterback Josh Allen. As the 83rd wide receiver off the board by ADP, Bell is a sneaky sleeper for redraft fantasy managers to target.

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell put together the best stretch of his young career in the second half of the 2025 season after New York acquired him from the Indianapolis Colts. Across eight games with the Jets, Mitchell hauled in 24 catches for 301 yards and two touchdowns on 58 targets. However, Mitchell will be facing significantly increased competition for targets in 2026. Star Jets wideout Garrett Wilson will be back from the knee injury that forced him to miss 10 games in 2025. New York also added a pair of high-profile young pass catchers in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft in wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and tight end Kenyon Sadiq. The Jets should get improved quarterback play this season from veteran quarterback Geno Smith, but the team's overall offensive ecosystem remains highly questionable. In dynasty formats, managers may want to explore selling high on Mitchell ahead of potential regression in 2026.

Across 16 games (13 starts) in 2025, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington recorded 31 catches for 364 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets. While Washington's numbers won't jump off the page for fantasy managers, he's slowly become more involved in the Steelers' passing game in each season since being drafted in the third round by the team in 2024. Pittsburgh also made a significant commitment to the 24-year-old this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $42 million contract extension. Pat Freiermuth still profiles as the top receiving tight end in Pittsburgh entering 2026, but the team let tight ends Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward walk in free agency. In deeper dynasty leagues, Washington could be a buy-low target with some untapped upside for fantasy managers.

Across 12 games in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) recorded 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. The 24-year-old's campaign was disrupted by a late-season foot injury that forced him to miss the final five games of the regular season. Odunze was able to return for Chicago's two postseason contests, but he mentioned during OTAs that he's still dealing with lingering effects of the foot ailment. While Odunze's injury concerns are unquestionably worrisome, it may also be creating a buy-low window for fantasy managers. Following Chicago's offseason trade of wideout DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, Odunze appears to be the WR1 in an improving Bears offense. However, he's currently coming off the board as the WR28 by average draft position in redraft leagues. Odunze's profile has risk, but his upside may be worth gambling on in 2026.

When the San Francisco 49ers have two wide receivers on the field this year, it will likely be Ricky Pearsall across from future Hall of Famer and newcomer Mike Evans, according to Kyle Madson of Niners Wire. Health is obviously a major question mark for Pearsall, who has played in only 20 games due to injuries in his first two years in the NFL, but he's one of the team's two best receivers if he's healthy. The 25-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida has caught 67 of his 99 targets for 928 yards and three touchdowns in his first two years in the league, averaging 13.9 yards per reception. Jauan Jennings is now in Minnesota, and former first-rounder Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is expected to be traded or released this summer. Veteran Christian Kirk should handle slot duties, but Pearsall is the team's clear No. 2 if he's on the field. Pearsall should be set for the highest usage of his career in Year 3 if he can avoid injuries. Fantasy managers should consider him a high-risk/high-reward WR4/flex in upcoming 2026 drafts. At RotoBaller, Pearsall is ranked as the No. 41 fantasy WR.

The Detroit Lions have made it clear that running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be their bell-cow back in 2026, which means that newcomer Isiah Pacheco must prepare for a backup role in his new digs, according to Kory Woods of MLive Media Group. Pacheco, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed a one-year deal with Detroit to replace David Montgomery, who was traded to the Houston Texans in early March. The 27-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Rutgers started 31 of 34 games in the last three seasons in KC, but he's preparing for a much different role in Detroit. He's looking at a drastically reduced role in the Lions' backfield, especially after dealing with injuries in recent seasons. Pacheco missed nine games in 2024 with a broken right fibula and missed a month with an MCL sprain in 2024. In his first two years in the league, Pacheco averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry, but that number has dropped to 3.8 yards per attempt the last two years. Pacheco is committed to his new role behind Gibbs, but he has tumbled to No. 44 in RotoBaller's RB rankings for the 2026 campaign, making him more of a handcuff for Gibbs' managers.

Former Navy star Eli Heidenreich is listed as an RB/WR with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was assigned a RB number (No. 29) and has been working with the RBs during individual drills and "overwhelmingly lined up" in the backfield during team drills during offseason workouts, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. RBs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. called Heidenreich the "Swiss Navy Knife," but how much the Steelers open up their playbook in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy might ultimately determine whether the 22-year-old will have a shot to make the 53-man roster for the regular season. How well he performs in pass protection, something Heidenreich wasn't asked to do much in college, could determine his fate early in his rookie season. DeFabo thinks Heidenreich will need to play his way onto Pittsburgh's roster during training camp, and it might take an injury for that to happen. Most likely, the former Midshipman will start his NFL career on the Steelers' practice squad.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer singled out wide receiver Ryan Flournoy as a player who stood out during the team's offseason workouts during organized team activities and minicamp, according to Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News. "Ryan Flournoy, I really think is taking the next step," Schottenheimer said. "I think he has a chance to be a terrific receiver in this league." The 26-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2024 out of Southeast Missouri State is the unquestioned WR3 going into the 2026 season behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and he has been given more of a leadership role this offseason as he heads into his third year in the NFL. Flournoy took a big step in his second season last year, catching 40 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (four starts) after posting a 10-102-0 line in his rookie campaign. RotoBaller currently has Flournoy ranked at No. 63 at the WR position, but if anything were to happen to either Lamb or Pickens, he'd become a must-add off the waiver wire in Dallas' pass-happy offense.

The Houston Texans traded for former Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery in the offseason and signed him to a two-year, $16.5 million extension. KPRC 2 Sports' Aaron Wilson writes that the arrival of Montgomery in Houston "should allow the Texans to build a punishing run game and become a better red-zone and play-action offense." "He's all-day tough," offensive coordinator Nick Caley said of Montgomery. "His body of work will speak for itself. Runs behind his pads, stays grounded. Arm tackles aren't getting it done. He's going to try to run through you every single chance. He can set guys up. He understands how to set blocks and to deliver and help deliver defenders to the blocker." The lack of a consistent ground game was one of the big reasons the Texans offense sputtered in 2025. Gone are Joe Mixon (foot) and veteran Nick Chubb. Monty will provide a bruising complement to the more shifty Woody Marks, who should work in more of a pass-catching role in Year 2. After being the clear lead back to Jahmyr Gibbs last year in Detroit, Montgomery should be Houston's RB1 in 2026, giving him clear RB2 upside again in fantasy football.

Heading into his fourth professional season, dynasty managers pretty much know what to expect from Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas. With the Bengals' most notable addition to the receiver room coming in the form of fourth-round pick Colbie Young, Iosivas is all but locked into the WR3 role he's held for the past two seasons. While five missed games from Tee Higgins allowed Iosivas to find the end zone six times in 2024 (a number that dropped to only two in 2025), the rest of his stat line has remained incredibly consistent. Playing in all 17 games in both seasons, the 2023 sixth-round pick averaged 34.5 catches for 457 yards on a 9.6% target share, hardly straying from that baseline in either season. With Higgins and three-time All-Pro Ja'Marr Chase both on the field, Iosivas has been limited largely to clear-out routes with few opportunities of his own. While his size and versatility have allowed him to step in for either in the event of injury, in more cases than not, targets have been funneled primarily through whichever of the pair remains healthy, with Iosivas' own usage uptick still making him little more than a streaming flex option. Entering the final season of his rookie contract, the 26-year-old could still find greater opportunity on a more manageable depth chart in 2027, but at RotoBaller's dynasty WR141, any upside hype once surrounding Iosivas has all but faded away.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson led his position group in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2025, finishing third on the team across all categories, behind only Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Veteran Tyler Higbee comes into the year healthy after missing the majority of the 2025 season with the ACL tear suffered in 2024, and the Rams spent second-round capital on Max Klare after selecting Terrance Ferguson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While that level of competition could make Parkinson's 2025 TE15 finish a near impossibility to repeat in most situations, the Rams' extensive use of three tight end personnel at least keeps the seventh-year veteran fantasy relevant in the final season of his current contract. While Ferguson and Klare are likely the future of the position in Los Angeles, Parkinson should still see enough usage to make him a viable dynasty depth piece with occasional streamability in 2026 and a chance to find a new role elsewhere in 2027. At 27 years old, he is easily acquirable as RotoBaller's dynasty TE32.

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II played in all 17 games as a rookie but accumulated fewer than 200 rushing yards at an unimpressive 2.8 yards per carry average. Unable to take advantage of the early time missed by 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright, Gordon's fantasy prospects look grim heading into his second season. At 6'2" and 225 pounds, there is still a possibility for Gordon to develop into an effective goal line back after scoring more than 30 rushing touchdowns in his final two seasons at Oklahoma State, but with the Dolphins projected as one of the league's lowest scoring offenses in year one of a clear rebuild under new head coach Jeff Hafley, red zone opportunities could be few and far between. A true focal point of Miami's new-look offense, De'Von Achane has handled more than 285 opportunities in each of the past two seasons, and while that sort of continued usage could be flirting with disaster at only 5'8" and 188 pounds, any extended backfield split of Gordon and Wright is unlikely to produce the types of scoring opportunities necessary for either to make a meaningful fantasy impact. With traits unique to the position, Gordon remains a dynasty hold for managers with the luxury to do so, but in shallower leagues, he can be moved on from in favor of any player with a more obvious upside path.

Baltimore Ravens running back Adam Randall stands out from previous receivers turned running backs in that he's 6'2" and 235 pounds. While neither his background as a pass-catcher nor his impressive size consistently showed up in his one full season as a running back at Clemson, he has obvious tools with which to work and an opportunity to learn behind one of the best to ever do it. With five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry still projected to hold a bell cow role in first-time coordinator Declan Doyle's offense, little is expected of Randall in his first year, but with Henry turning 33 by season's end, opportunity could be on the horizon if the fifth-round rookie can continue to develop. With his unique skill set allowing him to potentially fill in for either Henry or dedicated pass-catcher Justice Hill should injuries necessitate, there is still a path for Randall to contribute in year one, but still quite new to the position, the 21-year-old rookie profiles more as a dynasty stash with potential long-term upside.